Prepare Yourself for Tele-Medical Interview Before Buying a Term Insurance

Types of Questions Asked in Tele-Medical Interview

Most term insurance providers ask you the following questions in a telemedical interview:

• You will be asked about your medical history.

• They may ask you about your history of hospitalization.

• You may need to tell about the types of medicines that you take regularly.

• A telemedical interviewer may as well ask you about any medical procedures you have undergone in the past and about your existing medical condition.

• You may also have to provide the details of your family’s medical history.

• The details of the doctor that you generally visit and the medicines that you take when needed can also be asked.

• The telemedical person may also ask about your lifestyle habits like alcohol, smoking, use of the drug, and the physical activities in which you are involved.

• Another question that can also be asked is if you have a history of depression, anxiety, or other mental disorder.

Note: You have to give the correct answers to these questions. Moreover, in case of any mental disorder, you are required to explain everything in detail.

How to Prepare Yourself for Tele-Medical Interview?

The simplest way to get through the telemedical screening is to make all the required information handy. Here are the few things that as a policy aspirant you must keep with you at the time of the interview:

• Dates of treatments, procedures, surgeries, and diagnoses that you underwent especially in the past decade.

• Name and dosage of prescription for current treatment.

• Name, phone number, and address of your current doctor(s).

• Information about the health history of your family. This should include major diagnosis, causes, and age of death of your family members, if applicable.

• Policy aspirant’s current weight and record of some major fluctuation (if it is more than 10 pounds).

• In case you used to smoke but quit smoking, ensure you know the date.

Why do Insurers Perform Tele-Medical Interviews?

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the insurance companies were asking the insurance aspirants to undergo a certain medical examination. The goal of these medical tests is to find out the exact health condition of the policy aspirant. Getting to know about the medical condition of a person can help the insurer create the best life/term insurance policy.

However, after the national level lockdown due to COVID-19, some insurers have initiated telemedical facilities. This facility enables the prospective customers to get doctor consultations over the phone wherein he/she will be asked the aforementioned questions.

Even though the government has categorized insurance under essential service, the insurance providers hold the right to decline the claims if the details provided by the customers are found incorrect.

So, it is recommended to provide correct details during the telemedical interview.

Insurers Offering Tele-Medical for Term Insurance Plan

Here is the list of insurers and their plans wherein one needs to undergo a telemedical interview:

• ICICI Prudential iProtect Smart Plan

• HDFC Life Click 2 Protect Life

• TATA AIA Sampoorna Raksha Supreme

• PNB MetLife Mera Term Plan Plus

• Kotak e-Term Plan

What Is the Need for Being Honest in Tele-Medical?

Being accurate is critical while you are applying for a term insurance plan. If you forget to provide a small detail, it is not a big deal, but if you hide some information intentionally, it can hurt you later.

Being honest at the time of telemedical is valuable for you in many ways.

• Firstly, it makes sure that you get an accurate premium cost, which means you will get fewer surprises after the completion of underwriting.

• Secondly, it helps the insurer confirm the right type of quote for term insurance and plan for your requirements.

• Thirdly, it works as an important step to ensure your family has a smooth claim settlement process in case of your untimely demise during the policy term. If the insurance company finds out that you have not provided correct information related to your medical history, it can deny the coverage.

Over to You!

If you are planning to buy a term insurance plan and your insurer is asking to conduct a telemedical interview, do not worry. Most of the insurers ask any or all of the questions mentioned above. Prepare yourself with accurate answers, and if possible keep the required data with you in hand.